Compare towns
Castleton vs Freedom vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Freedom has the most people working from home (18.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Castleton | Freedom | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
1,494 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
60.6±3.2Highest 56% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
| Freedom and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
40.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$66,136±$14kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$389,000±$43kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
— | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,478 12% above U.S. |
$4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.6%±75Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freedom and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Freedom School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.